Song in the Silence
by TealEyed-Quatre
Summary: On his sixteenth birthday, Harry receives a time-delayed letter from Lily that changes EVERYTHING. Warnings enclosed.
1. Changes

Song in the Silence Chapter One

AN: My first posted creature fic. Extremely violent at the moment... And depressing... It's also yaoi, so if you don't like it, don't read it. I don't appreciate flamers. I hope you enjoy reading it as much I am enjoying writing it.

Warnings: Slash, cursing, violence, some mild gore, angst.

Quatre

Harry sat alone in his dark room, looking at his watch. It was nearly midnight, and that meant it was almost his birthday.

He fidgeted nervously. Ron had said that you came into your magical inheritance at sixteen. He wouldn't legally be an adult until he was seventeen, though. The year in between supposedly gave you the time to get used to your power and come to terms with any creature inheritances.

Harry looked around his room, which was actually the cupboard under the stairs. Dust floated in the air and collected on every surface. A few pieces of paper with crude, childish drawings were tacked onto the underside of the stairs. A pile of blankets was arranged into some semblance of a bed in one corner. His school trunk was tucked under the stairs themselves. All the other walls had boxes stacked against them. He watched a spider spinning its web above him.

The only light came from his digital watch, which had been a Christmas present from Seamus. He didn't use it very often because he didn't want the battery to run out. He wouldn't be able to afford a new one. Now, though, was an important time, so he kept it on.

11:57- only three minutes to go. He really hoped that the owls didn't make too much noise when they came. That would make Vernon even more angry, and Harry really didn't need any more bruises. Patterns of them decorated his arms, legs, and torso. They ranged in color from black to purple to yellow. He was also sure that at least one of his ribs was broken.

As Harry contemplated his injuries, the numbers on his watch changed to 12:00. He started in surprise as magic suddenly swirled around him, shimmering into view in red, blue, gold, and silver swirls. His body began to tingle, the magic concentrating itself on his legs, neck, and head.

He gasped for oxygen as the magic invaded his throat and lungs, making him dizzy. Slits opened in the sides of his neck, convulsing in time to the frantic beats of his pulse. His hair lengthened until it reached his waist; his eyes changed, became wider.

Harry bit his lip clean through as the bones in his legs snapped, twisted, and formed into new shapes. Skin and muscle stretched and changed, rippling like waves on the sea. He could feel blood dribbling across his body like fire. It burned its way through the veins, spurred on by the pulsating magic and his pounding heart.

When it finally stopped, it felt to Harry as if it had been an eternity. Sweat rolled down from his hairline; his chest was heaving. He pushed himself up onto his elbows and looked down his body to where his legs had been. A gasp escaped his mouth when he saw it. In place of his legs was a fish tail. Blue-green scales glittered in the glow of lingering magic.

As the shock wore off, Harry twitched it experimentally. When nothing happened, he commanded the muscles to move harder. The tip flicked upward and landed back on the ground with a thump. Even this small movement, however, was exhausting. Harry figured that it was because of the extensive magical use and his prior physical condition. Abuse and neglect weren't really conducive to being fit...

Panic began to set in. If Vernon or Petunia saw him like this, he'd be as good as dead. He forced himself to calm. Panicking wouldn't solve the problem. Maybe, he thought, he'd be able to change back the same way he had become it. Harry squeezed his eyes shut in concentration, ignoring the few beads of sweat that rolled into his eyes and down his nose. He called the magic to him again, pushing it towards his lower body. He bit again at his mangled lip as the bones, skin, and muscle reformed into the legs he'd had all his life. The slits in his neck remained, as did his eyes and hair.

As he lay gasping for the second time that night, Harry began to think. If Lily Evans-Potter really _had _been a Muggle-born, then there should be evidence of this species in the Potter archives. Surely Sirius or Remus would have told him about it, wouldn't they? The only other thing he could think of would be if he wasn't really related to one of his parents, and he didn't want to contemplate that.

With a despaired sigh, he glanced down at his watch. 4:00. That meant that he was getting up again in two hours, so he'd better get some sleep... He switched it off and crumpled onto the blankets in the corner. Eventually, he slept.


	2. Face Down

Song in the Silence Chapter Two

Harry woke to a pounding noise on his cupboard door. With a groan, he rose, much to the protests of his aching body. He swiftly yanked one of Dudley's old shirts over his head, letting the musty-smelling and stained cotton settle into folds around his torso. Then he slipped into a pair of shorts, tying a piece of twine around his waist to hold them up.

Finished, he turned to the door. "I'm up, Uncle Vernon," Harry called softly. The pounding immediately ceased and he could hear the sound of locks clicking open before the cupboard door swung outward, letting in bright sunshine. He resisted the urge to cover his eyes and just squinted instead. It soon faded into the jumbled blur of shapes and colors that he was becoming accustomed to. Vernon had broken his glasses when he delivered a blow that had broken Harry's nose as well. That was not a pleasant memory.

His thoughts jolted back into the present when Petunia came around the corner from the kitchen. She took one look at him and shrieked, raising a cacophony that could have woken the dead.

"You disgusting, filthy, THING! You've been doing UNNATURAL things again, I just know it!!" Her voice grated on his ears and he winced. He had forgotten about the changes in his hair and eyes.

"Pet, Pet, calm down. I'll deal with the freak. You just go back to the kitchen and make Dudders' breakfast." Vernon quickly ushered his bony wife down the hall. It was disturbing, watching the round, fat man be so gentle with her. All Harry had ever received from him were wounds and harsh words.

Even so, Harry envied him. He was normal, with a normal family, though Harry was an exception. He led a normal life, and always had. Harry was just a freak. What he wouldn't give to be normal!

Vernon came back down the hall with his face purple and full of rage. He grabbed Harry around the neck and shoved him against the wall. "You stupid freak! We feed you, clothe you, spend time carting you around, and for what?! Half-arsed work and FREAKY THINGS!! There's a bloody OWL sitting on our table!! Then, we see you, and you've done FREAKY things to yourself overnight!!" He squeezed Harry's windpipe closed, nearly crushing it. "I've just about had enough, freak. One more thing, and I'll kill you. I don't care about your stupid school. **YOU WILL DIE.**"

Harry dropped to the floor as he was released, clutching his throat and sucking in air. Vernon watched in stony silence, a gleeful smirk on his face. He turned to leave, but stopped at the last moment. "I'll be back with scissors, freak. Go and sit in the yard." With this last order, he left the hall.

Harry picked himself up off the floor and proceeded to follow orders. He limped through the house and to the back door. Once in th yard, he folded onto his knees on the wet grass and shivered. It may have been summer, but it was chilly in Surrey at this time of the morning. He let his blurred gaze rest on his dirty shorts as he heard the back door open and Vernon step out. Footsteps squished wetly in the dew-laden yard as he came closer.

Vernon stopped just far enough behind Harry that they didn't touch, but he could feel the heat radiating off the fat man. A large, meaty hand grasped Harry's waist-length black hair and lifted it off of his back. He could hear the sound of the scissors opening, then closing around several smooth locks. He waited for the sound of cutting, for hair to hit the grass...

Nothing. Then Vernon cursed and yanked, hard.

Harry's head was jerked fast enough to give him whiplash. His hands left his lap and flew behind him in an effort to keep from falling backwards. He scrabbled his fingers in the wet grass and dug them into the soft ground. Vernon squeezed the scissors shut, again and again. After a minute, Harry heard the screech of reluctantly bending metal.

The scissors clattered to the ground behind him, and he tried to swivel around and see. All he received was a steel-toed boot to the ribs. Harry bit his lip, reopening the wound from the night before. Blood ran freely down his chin and dripped on the ground. The booted foot met his ribs again.

"You stupid freak! You're doing freaky things again, and I won't stand for it!!" Vernon kicked Harry in the head. "You will stay in the cupboard with no meals for a week!! You hear me, BOY?!"

Harry nodded weakly. He was collapsed on his side, struggling to get oxygen into his woozy brain. He nearly cried out in pain when Vernon's thick, sausage-like fingers gripped the scruff of his neck and began dragging him back into the house.

He was tossed heavy-handedly into his cupboard. He barely managed to drag himself onto the small pile of blankets in the corner before passing out.


	3. Letters From War

AN: Here's the third chapter.

The next week passed fairly quietly. Harry had long gotten used to the starvation, so it was easy to forget about. Instead, he puzzled over his inheritance.

he had received a letter by owl-post on the second morning of his week in the cupboard, but he had yet to open it. The script on the front read:

_**To Harry James Potter On His Sixteenth Birthday**_

The script was elegant and feminine, written in a deep blue ink. Harry couldn't imagine who it was from, and that scared him. His friends hadn't sent any presents this year. 'Who would send mail to a stupid freak like me, anyways,' Harry thought bitterly.

It was now the last day of the week. Harry finally decided that he should open it now, because he didn't know how much time he'd have after being released. He sighed heavily and gave the letter one last glance before sliding his thumb under the seal and breaking it.

It burst open in a silent shower of gold and red lights. The parchment gave off a soft yellow glow and he reached out to grasp it.

As soon as his fingers brushed it, a soft female voice filled his head, threatening to swallow him. Harry immediately let go, shocked. The voice had seemed familiar...

With determination, he picked it back up and the voice filled his ears again.

_**"My dear son Harry."**_ He gasped, suddenly understanding. _**"If you are hearing this, then I must assume that James and I are dead." **_A single tear rolled down Harry's cheek.

_**"Oh, how I wish that I could be telling you this in person. Know, my beloved son, that I loved you before my death, and love you still."**_

A deep, shaky breath was taken. _**"My Harry, you are not fully human, only half."**_


	4. Soulmate

AN- Hey, guys. Sorry about the wait. Here you go!! Enjoy the next chapter, and review if you want me to keep writing. Thanks!!

Chapter Four: Soulmate

_**"I am a full-blooded Siren, and so that is the other half of you. I know that everyone thinks I was a Muggleborn, and it should stay as such."**_

Harry gasped aloud in disbelief. Lily sighed heavily in his mind. _**"I shall explain. I was adopted by my Muggle family at a very young age. On my sixteenth birthday, a full-blooded Siren woman came to our home in order to acquaint me with my heritage. They will not come to you because you are only half-blooded. That means that it's up to me to explain what will happen to you.**_

_**You may already have experienced some of the changes. Your hair will grow long and silky. Your eyes will probably become wider and more feminine in shape. You should have gills opening in the sides of your neck. These things will never go away, though you can hide them. **_

_**The biggest change, however, will be your tail." **_A masculine chuckle could be heard in the background. _**"And yes, you will have a tail, even though you can morph it back into human legs. You'll need to spend some time with your tail in water at least once a week. **_

_**You've always had a sweet voice, my Harry. With the receipt of your inheritance, it will only grow more beautiful. The nature of it, though, is this: though it will be gorgeous to everyone, your voice will only entrance your mate." **_Harry was puzzled. What did she mean?

_**"I know that you're probably confused. You get that from your father." **_More chuckling. _**"That's okay. **_

_**"There will be times in the next year when you will feel the urge to sing. This is a warning that your life-mate is near. No matter how strong it is, do NOT give into this urge unless you are alone. You will not be able to control your actions once he is near."**_

Harry started violently. He?! '_I guess it's a good thing that I'm gay, then,'_ he thought with a wry smile.

_**"The purpose of the song is that your mate will be unable to resist it and will come to you. As your mate, he will be your perfect match in every way. He will be your protector and your comforter." **_Harry could hear the smile in her voice. _**"And I know that you can protect yourself, Harry. But even the strongest of us need protection sometimes. **_

_**"I love you Harry. James and I both do. Never forget that.**_

_**"Love, Lily."**_

Harry's eyes filled with tears. This letter was from his mum. He'd just heard her _voice! _The things he'd learned from the letter certainly explained a lot of things. He was very happy about having a mate. Now he knew why he'd never been happy in a romantic relationship. He'd begun thinking that he would never fall in love; that he was meant to be alone.

Nevertheless, he was worried. What if his mate didn't want him? He was a freak, after all. But when he thought more about it, he was reassured by his mother's words. His mate was the other half of his soul. It would be all right.


	5. Stand

A.N. – My life is kinda nuts right now, but I will try to get more updates sooner. Most likely there will be more, if the way xXDancerintheDarkXx is acting is any indication. I swear, someday I'm gonna be held hostage until I release a new chapter.

Anyways, here you go! You get three guesses as to who Harry's mate is, and the first two don't count!

Chapter Five: Stand

August passed quickly, leaving Harry badly sunburned from outside work and greatly in need of food. His homework, thankfully, had gotten finished, as the Dursleys had locked his trunk in the cupboard with him.

Dumbledore had agreed to let Remus collect Harry from his relatives a day early. They seemed happy that he was going, and he knew that it was true. He was just as happy to be leaving them.

On the morning he was supposed to leave, Petunia let him out of the cupboard early. He used the loo and washed up before starting breakfast. He didn't want to make them angry at him on his last day, even if it would be fun.

He also cleaned up afterward. Remus wasn't going to arrive until nearly lunch, so Harry decided to just stay out of the way.

As he washed dishes, Harry felt an intense itching sensation in his arms where they were in the water. He quickly pulled them out to inspect them, and gasped. Blue-green, metallic scales were growing on his lower arms, which had been submerged for some time.

Panicking, he grabbed a hand towel and rubbed the skin dry before focusing his magic and willing them away. They slowly dissolved back into his skin and he sighed with relief. Then he groaned as something occurred to him.

"How will I finish the dishes?" Harry evaluated his options as fast as he could, and chose one. He would use Petunia's rubber gloves to keep the water off. Petunia would get mad, but that was better than revealing his secret. Besides, they wouldn't dare hurt him today.

Harry retrieved the gloves and finished the dishes with no further mishaps. Then he gathered his trunk (which was already packed) and his jacket (it was raining) and went to sit on the front stoop.

Remus came about a half-hour later. He was dressed in Muggle clothing: a navy blue tee-shirt and worn jeans. He smile gently at Harry, obviously still exhausted from the full moon two days ago.

"You ready to go, Harry? We're going straight to Diagon Alley and then to Grimmauld Place." He noticed the trunk and motioned for Harry to bring it forward. "I'll shrink that for you."

Harry stood and dragged it towards Remus. It slid along the rough concrete reluctantly, causing Harry's sleeves to ride up and expose his forearms. He dropped the trunk's handle as if it were on fire and yanked them back down. Remus looked at him concernedly.

"Are you all right, Harry?" Remus's golden gaze rested heavily on Harry's wrists.

"I'm fine, Remus. May we go now? I don't want to stay here any longer than necessary." Harry glanced nervously at the window, where the curtains were suddenly swishing back into place. Petunia had been watching them, obviously.

Remus started a bit, reminded of his current task. An angry red blush rose on his cheeks. "O-of course. I'll just shrink your trunk and we'll be gone." He checked to make sure no one was watching before slipping his wand into his hand and muttering a spell. The trunk was soon small enough to put in a pocket, and Harry did so.

Then they walked together to the end of Privet Drive; Harry in his worn raincoat and Remus with a tattered black umbrella. When they reached the corner, they disappeared with a loud crack.

Privet Drive remained still for a moment. Then the silence was broken by a shrill cry of "BOY!!!" from the fourth house.

Remus and Harry reappeared just outside of the Leaky Cauldron. Harry let go of Remus' arm to collapse onto the sidewalk, dry-heaving. The stress of a summer with little food and a lot of work was beginning to get to him.

When he finally stopped, Harry clambered to his feet, swaying dizzily. Remus gave him a sympathetic look.

"Your father had the same reaction the first time he Side-along Apparated. It's not very pleasant, is it?"

Harry shook his head, unable to speak. It actually hadn't been that bad, but he wasn't going to tell Remus that. It would help disguise his current weakness. He didn't need everyone asking questions.

Diagon Alley was bustling with last minute shoppers and Hogwarts students trying to get their supplies. Harry and Remus pushed their way through the crowds, having decided to visit Gringotts first.

They were just passing Flourish and Botts' when Harry felt something swell up inside him, an incredible urge to just… _**sing**_...

He shoved it back down in desperation. It felt so bloody **good**, but he couldn't give in. Not with so many people around. Hopefully his mate would be at Hogwarts this year.

Harry craned his neck, trying to see who was nearby that could be his mate. All he caught was a flash of platinum blonde and jet-black before Remus pulled him further down the cobbled street.

Disappointment welled in Harry's veins, overwhelming all other emotions. His mate had been _so_ close, and now he was gone… He quelled the urge to strangle Remus and followed along like the perfect little Boy-Who-Lived he was supposed to be.

A.N.- I don't know if any of you have noticed, but there are elements of Harry's species that are based off of the movie _The Thirteenth Year. _


	6. I Dreamed a Dream

Song in the Silence Chapter Six: I Dreamed a Dream

The rest of the Diagon Alley trip was uneventful much to Harry's eternal sorrow. He had no further glimpses of his elusive mate. Harry now sat in Sirius' bedroom at Grimmauld Place, clutching his photo album. He opened it to a picture of Sirius and James, resting his fingertips on his godfather's laughing face.

"What would you do, Siri?" A single tear rolled down his cheek and dripped onto the album page. He quickly wiped it off before scrubbing his eyes with his sleeves. An ache was building in his chest, centered around his heart.

Sirius would have known what to do. Sirius would have kept his secret and helped him find his mate. Sirius knew what it was like to need someone.

His eyes itched with the effort of holding his tears back. What was he supposed to do? A secret this big would be hard to keep, especially from Ron and Hermione. And what if his scent changed, Remus would be able to tell right away.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Panicking wouldn't help him. Telling Ron and 'Mione probably wasn't a good idea. They didn't even know he was gay. And if he told Remus, he could confide in someone, which was good. The only question was if Dumbledork would be able to tell.

Harry had already glamoured his hair, gills, and eyes with the help of newly-discovered wandless magic. They were almost unbreakable; the strongest he could find in the books he had read. He also taught himself Occlumency; wonderful thing, that. Now the only thing he had to do was decide whether or not he would tell Remus and what he would do when he found his mate.

Suddenly a knock on the door rang through the oppressive silence, startling him. He snapped the album closed and shoved it under a pillow.

"C-come in," he called shakily. The knob turned and Remus poked his head in.

"Harry? Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Harry gave a jerky nod, picking at the threadbare sleeves of his shirt. Remus carefully latched the door and put up a few secrecy wards before sitting next to Harry on the bed.

"Are you okay, Harry? Your scent is… different. And you were acting oddly when we were in the Alley."

Harry knew that this was his chance. He just had to make sure Remus didn't tell anyone else. "Remus?" he ventured. "If I tell you something really important, will you swear not to tell anybody? Not even Dumbledore?" He trained his eyes on his lap, not wanting to see the rejection on his honorary godfather's face.

"Of course, Harry. What's wrong?"

"I- I got a letter from Mum on my birthday." There was a quiet gasp. "She was a Siren, and now I'm half Siren." Harry leaned away quickly, waiting for a slap that never came.

Instead, thing, strong arms wrapped around him in a gentle hug.

"Oh, Prongslet. Did you think I'd let something like this come between us? You have to remember that I'm a Dark Creature, too. I still love you, no matter what."

And just like that, the dam broke. Harry collapsed into Remus's chest and sobbed, letting all the pain and worry drain away.

When the torrent finally stopped, he sat up and composed himself. Then Harry explained everything he knew, blushing as he told Remus what his behavior in the Alley meant. They both agreed that research was in order, and the Black library would probably have what they needed.


	7. HELP NEEDED

Okay, you guys. This doesn't happen to me often, but I've seriously got writer's block on this fiction. I really, really love it, and my aim is to beat this thing down and continue writing.

In order to do that, I'm going to ask a little something of you guys. I'd like you all to review this chapter with your answers to a few questions—your opinions on some aspects of where it might be going. I want honest answers, not just what you think I want to hear. I aim to please.

So, here goes:

Should Ron and Hermione be bad, good, one of each, or something else entirely?

Should Ginny be good/bad/neutral/etc?

How should Dumbledore react to Harry's species, etc?

Should Sirius be alive or dead?

How should I deal with Voldemort?

Should Remus and Tonks be together?

I really appreciate you guys' help on this—hopefully I'll be able to move on and get another chapter out soon. Thanks again.

Love and hugs to all,

Quatre


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